Mayor Zohran Mamdani Dismisses Mayor's Fund Advisory Board

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani dismissed the entire board of advisers for the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, a city-affiliated nonprofit that directs private donations toward public programs. This action marks the first time in at least three mayoral administrations that all advisory members were removed simultaneously.

The dismissed board included executives from Blackstone Inc., Citigroup Inc., and the Real Estate Board of New York. These leaders previously helped secure millions of dollars annually from the business community. Mamdani is replacing this corporate-heavy leadership with a new board intended to reflect communities directly impacted by city decisions.

This restructuring comes amid increasing friction between the mayor and the city's business establishment over his agenda to implement higher taxes on large corporations and wealthy residents. Senior spokesperson Dora Pekec stated that the move continues the work of ensuring city government reflects its communities and reimagines how philanthropy augments public goods.